Edward Idris Cassidy
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Edward Idris Cardinal Cassidy (born July 5, 1924) is an Australian Roman Catholic Cardinal Deacon. He is the President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity within the Vatican and headed the Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews. He was made a Cardinal on 28 June 1991.
[edit] Biography
Cassidy was born in Sydney. He was ordained a priest of the Wagga Wagga diocese in 1949, and entered the Vatican diplomatic corps as a young cleric. While in the diplomatic corps, he served posts responsible for China, Bangladesh, Lesotho, South Africa and the Netherlands before being appointed an Official of State for the Roman Curia in 1988. In 1991 Pope John Paul II created him Cardinal Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata. On 3 March 2001 he took the option open to all Cardinal Deacon's that they be elevated to the rank of Cardinal Priest after 10 years as a Cardinal Deacon. He was appointed President of the Council for Promoting Christian Unity in 1989, retiring in 2001 and returning to his native Australia.
His book titled "Rediscovering Vatican II - Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue", published 2005, and marking the 40th Anniversary of the Vatican's ecumenism declaration Nostra Aetate, made a significant contribution to ongoing international inter-religious dialogue.
| Styles of Edward Idris Cassidy |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Amantia (titular see) |
In 2004, he created controversy with his comment that Dominus Iesus, the conservative declaration issued by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) did not faithfully represent the Catholic Church's position on ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue.
After his retirement, for the first time ever in 2003 during the period from October 21st (when George Pell was made Cardinal) until Cardinal Clancy's 80th birthday on December 13th there were three Australian Cardinal electors (had a Papal election become necessary) including Edward Clancy and George Pell.
[edit] Quote
If on judgement day the Lord asks [me] what [I] did, if nothing else, [I] can say that [I] signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.
– Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, as reported in Lutheran World Information (1999-10-29): “Joint Declaration” is a “peace document”
| Preceded by Archbishop Eduardo Martínez Somalo |
Substitute for General Affairs 23 March 1988–12 December 1989 |
Succeeded by Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re |
| Preceded by Johannes Willebrands |
President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity 12 December 1989–3 March 2001 |
Succeeded by Walter Kasper |
